Gwalior, Feb 10 (IANS): Defending champions Bihar will be looking to retain their title at the Sub-Junior National Rugby Sevens Championships, which kicks off on Tuesday here at Lakshmibai National Institute of Physical Education (LNIPE) with a total participation of 21 teams in the U15 girls’ category.

This event marks a significant milestone for Indian Rugby, with the introduction of contact rugby for the Sub-Junior cohort of players (U15). This transition from touch rugby to contact rugby is consistent with the federation’s ambition to strengthen the Indian national age-grade teams, as they lock horns against teams at the Asian frontier.

The tournament will be held across two days -- February 11 and 12, where 21 participating states with 252 participating players shall vie for the coveted trophy.

Maharashtra and Rajasthan ranked second and third respectively, shall be looking to closely contest at the championship and beat Bihar to finally win the gold.

“Like any national sports federation, the future of Rugby in our county is pegged against the number of youngsters who pick the game as their preferred sport. A sizeable proportion of our players who now represent the Indian National team, began their journey at age-grade events, such as the Sub-Junior National Championships. Ergo, the upcoming U-15 National Championships remain vital for Rugby India.

“We are also delighted to be hosting these championships at the Lakshmibai National Institute of Physical Education (LNIPE), in Gwalior. Many thanks to LNIPE for their support and generosity in hosting these championships,” said Rahul Bose, Indian Rugby Football Union president.

Complete Pools:

Pool A: Bihar, Assam, and Delhi

Pool B: Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Goa

Pool C: Rajasthan, Haryana, and Manipur

Pool D: Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh

Pool E: Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Uttarakhand

Pool F: Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Chandigarh

Pool G: Kerala, Jammu & Kashmir, and Punjab